Birch and Marlin found that exposure of new food to two year olds over a 6 weeks increased preference for that food

Birch proposes that we are born with innate food preferences. But with our innate ability to associate food tastes and smells with the consequences of eating that food

SLT

This can influence the availability and exposure to different foods

Brown and Ogden reported correlations between parents and their children; in snack intake, eating motivations and body disatisfaction

The media has a major impact on what we eat. Cooking programmes, adverts and magazine articles can all impact our attitudes to food and eating

It can be argued that the influence of the media is limited by personal circumstances

Limitations of SLT: although it can explain cultural differences in food preference, it focuses on environmental influences ignoring biological and evolutionary explanations. Our eating behaviour may be purely under biological control. Our food preferences may be formed as a result of an evolved adaptation - with food preference a result of nature rather than nurture